This application claims the priority of PCT International Application No. PCT/DE99/00022, filed Jan. 8, 1999 (08.01.99) and German patent document 198 03 337.0, filed Jan. 29, 1998 (29.01.98), the disclosures of which is expressly incorporated by reference herein.
The invention relates to a method for realistic simulation of the danger posed by individual mines, mine blocks and hand grenades to participants in military exercises, particularly soldiers and vehicles.
As a result of the invention, the use of such explosive devices can be practiced during training with entirely harmless consequences, and the offensive effect of mines and hand grenades can be determined objectively in simulated combat. For this purpose, a mine or hand grenade is simulated by a weaponry simulator, and participants in the exercise (particularly personnel and vehicles) are equipped with a sensor system (herein called xe2x80x9cparticipant sensor systemxe2x80x9d). The ranges of action of the mines and hand grenades are simulated by a data transmission between the weaponry simulators and the participant sensor systems.
An object of the invention is to provide a method for simulating precisely the range limitation of the mine or hand grenade, in order to achieve a reliable determination of the participants situated within the range of action of the triggered mine or hand grenade.
This and other objects and advantages are achieved by the method according to the invention, in which data are communicated from the weaponry simulator to the individual participant sensor systems via two-way radio transmission. The radio transmission from the individual participant sensor systems to the weaponry simulator is used to limit the range of action of the mines or hand grenades to be simulated. For this purpose, the field pattern in the near field of the transmitting and receiving antennas is utilized. A xe2x80x9chitxe2x80x9d is possible only when the near field of the transmitting antenna at the participant sensor system overlaps with the near field of the receiving antenna on the weaponry simulator.
A transmission frequency is selected whose near field range is larger than the maximum required range of action of the mine or hand grenade to be simulated. For the relationship between the near field r and the frequency f, the following applies according to general physical principles:
rxe2x89xa6c/2nf(c: velocity of light).
In order to simulate the ranges of action of typical mines and hand grenades (several m to several km), frequencies in the range of from several kHz to several tens of MHz can therefore be used for transmission. This frequency range includes particularly the MW and LW range (LW long wave, approximately 30-300 kHz; MW medium wave, approximately 300 kHz-3 MHz).
A mine or hand grenade hit is confirmed or verified by radio transmission from the weaponry simulator to the individual participant sensor systems. In principle, no limitation exists for this transmission with respect to the used frequencies. However, advantageously frequencies in the VHF or UHF range (VHF very high frequency, approximately 30 to 300 MHz; ultra high frequency, approximately 300 to 3,000 MHz) are used.
A participant""s hit takes place when a confirmed communication is established between the participant sensor system and the weaponry simulator.
The range of action limitation according to the invention by a radio transmission in the near field range (for example, in the LW or MW range) from the participant sensor system to the weaponry simulator permits a precise and accurate simulation of the action of various mine types and hand grenades. In particular, a covered as well as an exposed condition is possible.
The use of radio transmission from the weaponry simulator to the individual participant sensor systems (for example, in the UHF or VHF range) to confirm a hit achieves a high reliability when detecting the weaponry simulator.
In order to achieve a precise range of action limitation with a level measurement, in the case of a high-frequency transmission the transmission medium (including antennas) must have correspondingly high damping. Therefore, magnetic antennas (such as a ferrite rod with an antenna coil) are preferably used for the transmission from the participant sensor system to the weaponry, and the range of action limitation of the mines or hand grenades is achieved by utilization of the field pattern in the near field of these antennas.
The high damping in the transmission path has the advantage that the damping influences occurring in nature and civilization as a result of different soil conditions (cultivation), the weather, or an exposed or covered conditions play only a minor role.
The method according to the invention can be used to simulate mines as well as for hand grenades (HGR). The different characteristics of these systems can therefore be simulated with the same technical preparations. The following mine types can, for example, be simulated:
Anti-tank laying mine (PzAbwVMi)
Anti-gunner mine (SchtzAbwMi)
Anti-gunner laying mine (SchtzAbwVMi).
The method according to the invention supports all mine laying principles, such as the mixed laying of mine blocks (PzAbwVMi) and individual mines (SchtzAbwVMi).
The method is designed for the mine combat simulation in combat exercise centers, for the combat of connected weapons, as well as a stand-alone solution for pure mine combat training.
In addition to the mine detection, the participant sensor systems mounted on vehicles or personnel also permit radio-technical linking of additional equipment.
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the invention when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.